Butler University Beats Kansas State to Play Its First Final Four Game

History was made today when Butler University advanced to the Final Four game after an exciting match against Kansas State. The score? Butler won with an impressive 63 points to Kansas State's 56 points. The odds seemed to be against Butler because Kansas State is credited with having more depth and experience.

But Butler has showed incredible growth and improvement over the season. They beat a first-seeded team, Syracuse, to get to this point. They weren't about to give up now, not even after Kansas State tied them in the second half and things started to look potentially grim for Butler. But that was only for a short while and then Butler regained momentum. Indianapolis, here they come!

Kansas State tied the game at 54 (with 3:09 remaining). They seemed to be getting a second wind - and then everything deflated for them. In the final minutes of the game, Kansas State kept losing the ball to turnover after turnover. They made some strong attempts to score major points but simply couldn't get everything to come together. As the game played out on television, it was clear that Butler fans - and players - were jubilant. "City of Indy, We're Coming Home!" cried Butler's coach, Brad Stevens.

Butler's First Final Four Appearance is Also First Time (Since UCLA) College Team Plays Final Four Game in Their Hometown

Now the number two seed, Kansas State, has been beaten by the number five seed and those in Indianapolis can't help thinking back to Hoosiers (a movie which was actually filmed using the Butler basketball court for some scenes). For college basketball trivia buffs, this makes Butler the first team since UCLA to play in the Final Four in their hometown. It is also a coup for a small university's basketball program since approximately 4500 students are enrolled at Butler. Having attended the school, I know how small it is. Walking from one corner to another takes about 5 to 10 minutes. But this small university team can play with the big guys. They've proven that.

Will playing at home give them added incentive and boost their morale? Fans are eager to find out and the suspense is building. For those whose basketball brackets had Butler ruled out, the sound of people tearing up their brackets is nearly audible. This will also be Butler's first Final Four appearance, according to the ESPN recap .

Butler University not Intimidated by Playing Two Top Seeded Teams in a Row

To get to this point, Butler had to play two top seeded teams in a row. That could be enough to throw even a strong team off its typical game. But Butler rose to the challenge and proved they have the right stuff to get into a Final Four match. This could be a game that has movie producers watching to see if a tale similar to Hoosiers is in the works, this time with a college basketball theme (Hoosiers focused on high school basketball). There is bound to be a wild scramble for tickets as college basketball fans vie to watch the game. But history has already been made as Butler faces its first Final Four showdown. Can the small university win the championship? I'll be one of many fans waiting to find out.

Sources:
Personal experience watching the game and recaps
ESPN site and recap here